Elemental Flow-Chart, photo credit to Paige Hill, CH Have you heard of the Earth season before? What about the Earth Element? No, you haven’t? Well neither did I, not until I started working for Prairie Star Botanicals and began my herbal education. Prior to herbal education, I have heard about the different elements of nature (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Ether), but I have never explored them to understand their meaning. Now, I have an association and appreciation with all of the different elements that govern not only the universe, but our bodies. My teachings are a blend of multiple traditional practices, but what has stuck with me most, is Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Today, I have...
We have interviewed Kate Bodmann (pictured above), who is a Registered Clinical Herbalist and Registered Aromatherapist who has been providing herbal consultations and classes for the past 10 years in Omaha, Nebraska. She is the owner of Land of Milk and Honey Herbs and Omaha Whole Living, a small health and wellness collective that provides massage, qi gong, and other energy healing practices. We have worked with Kate for many years now and knew that she would be THE Herbalist to interview for the content of this blog. What herbs are safe to take during pregnancy? Herbal safety is an important aspect to consider when working with women who are or may become pregnant. There are many safe herbs...
“Under the Summer roses, When the flagrant crimson Lurks in the dusk Of the wild red leaves Love, with little hands, Comes and touches you, With a thousand memories And asks you, Beautiful unanswered questions.” - Carl Sandburg Summer has been symbolic to me of love, open expansion adventure, and awareness. One of my greatest memories is my seven-year-old self walking barefoot on our rock road with a group of my cousins on our way to the creek. Once we would get there, the older braver cousins would jump in for a swim, while us younger ones would dangle our feet in the water or explore along the creek bank looking for frogs, crawdads, or if we were lucky,...
While I was sitting at my desk writing this blog, I looked outside my window and saw a tiny house wren hopping through the grass and clover. He/She plucks up a plump insect and gobbles it down. This brought a smile to my lips. I witnessed the true authentic season of nature. It reminded me of a song that was retro when I was a child, the song "Turn Turn Turn (to everything there is a season)" by the Byrds, speaks of every moment in life is a season. As a child, hearing the song made me feel connected to nature and the universe. Here is a YouTube link for my favorite cover of the song. ...
This year, summer arrives on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. The summer equinox is especially poignant here on the prairie, where the sun rises early, and sets after 9PM. In modern times, our area has been known for agriculture, and a short but aggressive growing season that supports mono-cropping of corn and soybeans. I like to think of it in more historical times, where local indigenous people set their rhythms to that of the sun, enjoying the long days of summer as a balance to the short days of winter. The cycle of seasons allows us to experience our true connection to the natural world. Disconnection that comes through our modern lives leaves us feeling unsettled at best, and stressed, or...
